One person's small favor is another's world-shifting, death-skirting onus. Especially when the one asking, nay demanding, the small favor is the WinteOne person's small favor is another's world-shifting, death-skirting onus. Especially when the one asking, nay demanding, the small favor is the Winter Queen of Faerie and saying "no thanks" just isn't in her realm of acceptance. Poor Harry Dresden. Again. One would almost feel abounding sympathy and terror for him if it wasn't so darn funny the situations that seem to coalesce around him.

At least Harry has his trusty Mouse, a pair of holy sword-bearing Knights of the Cross, an apprentice and cop friend with attitudes, and a super-hot vampire brother to keep his butt from being roasted by the arrayed forces of antagonists - including some very irate Billy Goats Gruff....more

Who do the lesser magical powers turn to when threatened? One would hope they would seek the counsel of their local Warden, Harry Dresden, but then whWho do the lesser magical powers turn to when threatened? One would hope they would seek the counsel of their local Warden, Harry Dresden, but then why do they flee from him, throw protective wards up against him, and send him nasty scowls? It couldn't be his oh-so-charming demeanor and highly evolved sense of humor, could it?

Not only must Harry untangle the web of deceit pinning a string of apparent suicides to his doing, figure out if the real killer is one of his nearest and dearest, deal with a headstrong apprentice with a penchant for veiling herself, he must also deal with a stiff-collared prude with bad fashion sense and a sharp tongue.

Some days, one should ask this wizard why the whole city rests on his shoulders. Oh, and his demon is nearing total assimilation of his soul....more

Sorely disappointed in this exploration of the Omega wolf, which struck me oddly as all of Brigg's previous urban fantasy have been wonderfully engagiSorely disappointed in this exploration of the Omega wolf, which struck me oddly as all of Brigg's previous urban fantasy have been wonderfully engaging. For some nebulous reason I had difficulty even finishing this one. The characters seemed slightly off, as did the plot. The central conceit of this series is the dynamic between Charles as an uber-Alpha wolf and Anna the Omega wolf and I felt like there was much more to be mined....more

B-movie monsters (the A-listers were all booked) get fleshed, run amok, cause fear, get blasted by Harry, who, since he is now all official and WardenB-movie monsters (the A-listers were all booked) get fleshed, run amok, cause fear, get blasted by Harry, who, since he is now all official and Warden-cloaked, has even more impetus than his own over-large sense of nobility and do-gooderness to save the day. And at the end of this one, Harry gets a big ol' bonus - the kind that entails lots or responsibility and effort, not unlike a previous ending bonus, but less evil, hopefully....more

Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex is worth the price of admission to this frenetic Halloween treasure hunt.

Going to absurd lengths to protect Murphy's reputatSue the Tyrannosaurus Rex is worth the price of admission to this frenetic Halloween treasure hunt.

Going to absurd lengths to protect Murphy's reputation when a big bad from the past dangles some incriminating evidence in front of Harry, our favorite wizard-for-hire proceeds to hamster the wheel as he tries to discover what the elusive article of exchange really is. Of course it would be too simple if bickering factions of necromancers and their hordes of undead and nasty minions weren't after the same thing Harry needs to find to clear Murphy. Halloween night will see the unveiling of a serious amount of death magic which will leave Harry with a special little present: the erosion of his soul....more

Meeting Thomas one may be stricken with how very much he resembles an importation from another urban fantasy writer in nearby St. Louis, not for actuaMeeting Thomas one may be stricken with how very much he resembles an importation from another urban fantasy writer in nearby St. Louis, not for actual character but just how damn scrumptious he is. Plus he teaches Harry a valuable lesson while roping him in to help with a case on a porn movie set. Add in some crazies wielding magic, stuffed-shirt vampires wearing very near nothing to stuff, and flaming monkey poo, shake a bit, and you end up with a rather woozy Harry Dresden....more

Something big happens. So much gets crammed into this book that I marvel it hasn't exploded gore across its fellows. And I do mean gore. Harry sure geSomething big happens. So much gets crammed into this book that I marvel it hasn't exploded gore across its fellows. And I do mean gore. Harry sure gets dirty: dealing with an impending duel with the Red Court Champion whose gentile surface has to be masking more than just his nasty vampire form, a contract to remove him from the playing field, and Susan coming back. And those are just the minor events. The major big bad is much more sinister and scary, and it really wants Harry to play with it....more

Faeries and politicking. Who knew it could be so much fun to watch Harry Dresden squirm! Oh wait, that is one of the reasons I keep coming back to thiFaeries and politicking. Who knew it could be so much fun to watch Harry Dresden squirm! Oh wait, that is one of the reasons I keep coming back to this wonderful series. In this fourth installment of how-will-Harry-be-royally(literally)-screwed, he has the White Council with the Sword of Damocles (or Morgan with his axe to grind) on one side, Queen Mab of the icy britches Winter Court on another, and a gang load of hired thugs and nasty types elsewhere trying to off him. Oh, and his dead flame who tried to kill him is back too. What choice a poor wizard to make for his demise?

Even with this doom and gloom storm cloud brewing with a little Faerie magic on a big stone table, Harry battles the good battle, plays the heroic man with a big staff, wears his spiffy coat, and keeps a snarky head above the insanity, even while said head is spinning none too slowly over his unlucky fate.

I sort of really wanted to hug Mr. Butcher after finishing this novel....more

Fleshless fiends run afoul of Harry, and we are introduced to an intriguing cohort in Michael Carpenter, a paladin of the highest sort who happens toFleshless fiends run afoul of Harry, and we are introduced to an intriguing cohort in Michael Carpenter, a paladin of the highest sort who happens to have a pretty darn spiffy sword complete with italicized name and mayhap an original nail from the Crucifixion (the BIG one), glowing all purty with Mr. Carpenter's divine faith and cutting a swath through the baddies.

What delights me thus far about Mr. Butcher is his inventive machinations providing all manner of terribly awful things with which to assail Mr. Dresden, none of which come off as overly familiar or beat-into-the-ground as many of this burgeoning genre have already succumbed....more

Though still crafting oddball events and giving his main character plenty of recriminatory moments, Strout steps Simon Canderous up a notch, moving hiThough still crafting oddball events and giving his main character plenty of recriminatory moments, Strout steps Simon Canderous up a notch, moving his soggy-behind-the-ears rookie to a moderately-moist-behind-the-ears rookie. There is still lots of red tape and bureaucratic finagling and mangling, weird ghosts and possessed statues, vendettas and opportunities for batting practice, but the most challenging aspect for Simon: dealing with his former cult member girlfriend in an actual relationship. The slap-happy romp continues in this second caper, just mind that when you rip off the red tape you don't take skin with you....more

I love a spunky redhead. I love a spunky redhead who ties into the earth magically. I love a spunky redhead with a gay best friend who reads minds. II love a spunky redhead. I love a spunky redhead who ties into the earth magically. I love a spunky redhead with a gay best friend who reads minds. I love a spunky redhead who falls for a man who elicits drool in a black tight t-shirt and just so happens to channel necromantic energy.

Battis contributes all the fun and readability of the urban fantasy genre, but isn't afraid to let a verbose vocabulary add to the writing. This academic bent shines forth in the diversity rainbow of characters that parade through the novel; Battis manages to cultivate this diversity just shy of the line of too much, celebrating within the variety the many differences that do not see written attention frequently. While occasionally slipping into a digressive queer theorist mode, it is never long enough to turn attention away from the character building.

A Flash of Hex manages that difficult step in being an even better novel than its predecessor, establishing continuity and developing its worldview. Our spunky redhead Tess has some growth to pursue, and I for one cannot wait to read more about her love interest fleshing out his tight black t-shirts....more

I wanted to rate this seventeenth Anita Blake higher, I really did. It served its purpose - it gave me an escapist retreat from reality, plunging me iI wanted to rate this seventeenth Anita Blake higher, I really did. It served its purpose - it gave me an escapist retreat from reality, plunging me into the abnormal psychosis and encounters of the protagonist. Plus the sex. I've traveled a long way with Anita, delved into some pretty dark and gruesome and twisted shit with her, but the sameness, not only of action, but also of writing and the bromidic characterization is starting to wear on me.

The one element of novelty that kept me reading coincides oddly with my own sensation of languidness: that of Anita's weariness of the violence and destruction. This theme recurs throughout the novel as Anita is mailed a decapitated head accompanied by an invite to track the killer down, vilification by law enforcement peers for her personal connections, close proximity to a sociopathic federal marshall from her past, and not to mention the looming need to feed the ardeur. Anita’s main response to all this seems to be a half-hearted attempt to pull herself up by her bootstraps and continue slogging through the body parts and blood. I get the feeling that the next logical phase Anita should enter would be a severe depression.

Wondering if this element of depression would ever be introduced is useless speculation and rather moot because the tone is pervasive regardless of whether Anita is flexing her metaphysical muscles to prove her worth to a paranormal troop of Vegas SWAT or facing the prospective sexual awakening of a multiplicity of weretigers’ powers. She evinces a languor in this novel that infected my own reading of it.

A lot of the criticism I have seen leveled at this novel revolves around the rather hurried ending. I do not really find this surprising since this has always been Hamilton’s writing style; the endings have always been abrupt and quickly encapsulated within a brief epilogue. Skin Trade does disabuse us of a potential Big Bad or two, though I think the finality of at least one of these is up for debate; however, I do not feel that this novel merits the vitriol that Danse Macabre deserves for establishing an intriguing plot and utterly failing to deliver. Yes, she could have elaborated more thoroughly without detracting from succinctness, but I did not feel completely cheated at the end.

I continue to return to St. Louis to visit Anita and her harem because I still see the potential that begat this series, and the glimmerings that shine forth amid the sex and violence and sex intrigue and fascinate me. Her world is highly developed yet still offers so much exploratory space. It helps that the boys are all really pretty too....more

One thing that amazes me with this novel is Carey's scope as a writer. With the Kushiel sextuplet she was graceful and highly engaging with her intellOne thing that amazes me with this novel is Carey's scope as a writer. With the Kushiel sextuplet she was graceful and highly engaging with her intelligent main characters, spinning sentences like colorful and erotic thread; with this book, her main character is more physical and so her writing takes on a greater physicality and brevity. Parsed phrases create intense moments, highlighting the fearless nature of her heroine, the simplicity that she brings to bear in her worldview.

Unlike the shadowy origins that much of urban fantasy uses as a suspenseful trope, Carey makes us witness to the events leading to the birth of the girl who will enliven the myth of Santa Olivia. Occurring in a slightly off future Texas where the threat of rampant disease in Mexico has caused the U.S. to seal the border claiming rebel Mexican forces are threatening to overrun the States, focusing in on the town once known as Santa Olivia but now converted into Outpost - disappearing from public awareness as the entire town becomes locked down - Carey introduces us to a genetic experiment of human scale: men who were bred to be stronger and faster and more resilient.

It is one such man, fleeing his U.S. captors, who succumbs to a tryst with a local girl, causing the improbable pregnancy that leads to the birth of Loup (pronounced Lou, French for wolf, told with a somber yet tongue-in-cheek werewolf reference and not the overripe gravitas crappy romance novels would give to the name).

Born gifted with the same genetic alterations engineered into her father, life is rather challenging for Lou. But then, life pretty much sucks for all the residents of Santa Olivia cum Outpost. Not allowed to leave by the U.S. Army, able only to serve as the working class servants of the soldiers, stuck between warring factions of Outpost gangs trying to scratch the crumbs the Army leaves, the scene becomes ripe for an avenging angel – Zorro style. Carey could have thrust her novel into the trenches of high action/adventure with swashbuckling and ass kicking, creating a comic book heroine in Loup. She does not. There is plenty of action, but Carey does not allow her action sequences to spin out of proportion to the story, despite Loup’s heightened abilities. In my opinion, this makes the story more realistic and rich, for the true heroic aspects arise in the only sport allowed the town of Outpost: boxing.

Loup’s older brother Thomas grows to be the heroic ideal of the town, training wholeheartedly and single-mindedly. Loup will get her turn in the spotlight, but the trajectory that Carey takes her on – growing and learning amongst orphans under the protection of the unorthodox Church, shadowing her older brother in the local boxing gym, performing “miracles” more akin to pranks as the original namesake child saint of the town, butting heads with the local bad boy tough who could easily be a stereotypical gang leader but in Carey’s hands becomes much more – plays alongside her brother’s development, benefiting from the comparison and example she finds, fleshing out the hopes and dreams of a small town forgotten and trapped.

Santa Olivia, as a novel of urban fantasy, pushes through many of the boundaries reinforced by previous novels of the genre. Carey continues to expand her craft and seduce her readers into her worlds just slightly askew of our own, spinning characters of coarse fabric and fine patterns, threading sexuality into her tales with skillful aplomb, and interweaving literary merit with the excitement of the genre and a subtle social commentary. Punches are not pulled, pelvic thrusts fully expressed. Santa Olivia packs the wallop of her main character....more

My memories of reading the early Anita Blake novels include a lot of intriguing world building and a lot of gore. A lot of gore. The graphic novel mayMy memories of reading the early Anita Blake novels include a lot of intriguing world building and a lot of gore. A lot of gore. The graphic novel may not be exactly clinically detailed, however the chunks of mangled body parts are not alluded to but in full view. As for how the art translates the atmosphere: Dominga Salvador is a creepy old scary lady who looks rather normal, which just makes her more creepy; the zombies are nasty looking, especially the ones mistaken for regular humans; Jean Claude's brief appearance is sexy and wiggy and sexy some more; Evans is portrayed in all his freaking out clairvoyant misery; Anita's scars are on display, as are her wicked curves and shiny guns; and the worst horror: the bridesmaid dress is totally terrifying and totally pink and poofy.

A lovely distillation of the first half of Laughing Corpse, like revisiting a dear aunt, albeit one with zombie slaves that she sets upon you, forcing you to unleash a plentitude of bulleted body part cleaving. Fingers crawling after you of their own volition just sucks, let me tell you....more

I was at first relieved that Caine's new book centered on a different character since it meant that the almost replete story of Joanne Baldwin would bI was at first relieved that Caine's new book centered on a different character since it meant that the almost replete story of Joanne Baldwin would be left in its pleasant sunset euphoria for that much longer. How silly of me to think that this series would not end on a precipice.

Meeting Cassiel, or Cassie (call her that for a few grins which might be your last), we are thrown into a confrontation with that bastardly unfeeling Ashan, who provides many more reasons to dislike him immensely as he shatters Cassiel out of her Djinn nature, forcing her into a human form for disobeying his orders. This scenario immediately establishes our sympathy with Cassiel, which will be much needed, as Cassiel herself is not an overly warm brand new born human, in fact, she was one of the few Djinn who maintained absolutely no contact with them and was never enslaved to a Warden. Hence, she also has really horrid people skills and fashion sense.

Drawing upon Cassiel's major learning curve, Caine provides moments of levity as the former Djinn navigates the human culture and her human form. At times however, Caine seems to miss the mark with what Cassiel does and does not know, though she explains that even up in the aetheric, human behaviors and knowledge filter through (much to the chagrin of the Old Ones). I was also a little blasé over the inclusion of an apocalyptic level event so early in Cassiel's story, though I suppose a formerly powerful and antediluvian Old One would not be involved in much else.

Caine's supporting characters provide a lot of the emotional feedback that Cassiel lacks, providing counterpoints and foils to the struggle she engages in to accept that she is no longer a hot shot Djinn. The glimpses into the further workings and troubles of the Wardens bordered on a tad heavy-handed, as was the set up for the big bad reveal, but Caine's narrative style flows smoothly and kept me engaged and eager for the next installment. ...more

A hearty thank you to Ms. Vaughn for not making us wait to resolve the cliff hanger of Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand. Stepping back into Kitty's worldA hearty thank you to Ms. Vaughn for not making us wait to resolve the cliff hanger of Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand. Stepping back into Kitty's world - that of her newly formed and thus fragile pack - after the curious Vegas elopement, we find that Kitty's decision to be a "newfangled modern" werewolf who solves the pack's problems with her verbal repartee rather than by abuse is not quite as simple as she'd like to idealize it. The dynamics of dominance still hold sway, and perhaps the best part of this novel is following how Kitty negotiates the slippery slope between her alpha status attained by wit and guile rather than pure force. A moment I hope Vaughn explores and exploits later for its drama, is when Ben actually grows as a character and exerts his alpha status in a manner antithetical to Kitty's ideal. The potential for how it might play out between this newly married and newly leading alpha pair could drive a lot of growth and angst for these characters, not to mention the rest of the pack.

A team of interesting secondary characters comes to play in the form of a reality TV show called Paradox PI, furthering the humorous vein of media commentary that Vaughn established by having Kitty be a radio show host. The team makes a show out of searching for the true hauntings and spirit sightings, but debunking everything they come across. Too bad for them that the trouble Kitty carries over from Vegas cannot be debunked.

Despite the development of the pack dynamics which I dearly missed in the last novel, I still feel like there is an element missing. It may stem from the relationship between Kitty and Ben, which does not even feel raw like a new marriage, but rather nebulous and tenuous. Perhaps the above mentioned development of tension could flesh this pair out, or mayhap the continuing werewolf leadership role will force some edges to develop in these characters. I wonder too if reintroducing Cormac's incarcerated character as a player once again would help establish the ground that is missing....more

It's not bad enough that Connor Grey lost all his hair while averting a rather massive magical disaster, now he has to account for it too! Too bad thaIt's not bad enough that Connor Grey lost all his hair while averting a rather massive magical disaster, now he has to account for it too! Too bad that the dark matter lodged in his brain blocking his druidic abilities also seems to be causing him to forget spans of time with major magical happenings. And did I mention the loss of his locks (front cover not indicative of the plight the poor boy must be enduring)?

Connor remains an engaging detective amid the urban fantasy scene, kindling sympathy while also revealing the shades of when he was a total jerk for which he now is forced to rectify his previous errors of tact. A new nemesis/ally from Connor's past brings to light that he often did not fall on the side of the holiest of good boys. However, the best perpetrator of Connor-eats-humble-pie is his interest d'amour Meryl, druidess of the changing hair colors and wearer of big boots. She dishes out lots of karmic payback to our detective, one might, rather should say, gleefully and with vigorous vindication. Plus, she gets lobster out of the whole deal.

The magical mayhem and mystery deepens, the webs of connectedness reveal more strands, and Joe the Flit drinks a shitload and belches Oreos. Wrap all this up on the eve of the new year (the pagan one, not the Judeo-Christian one) at Samhain when an event that hasn't been seen since the Convergence seems likely to take place, and you've got another package full of exciting fantasy. Despite the numerous times I wanted to bop Connor on the head and say "it's a ghost stupid head" or "forget the woman and take a horizontal detour down memory lane with the couture crimson sweater boy," Del Franco delivers another in what I hope will be a long running series to rival Butcher....more

Kitty gets to play with some new kitties! Watch for those claws, and are those boys bunny kicking or...!!!

Kitty's Vegas elopement suffers from quite aKitty gets to play with some new kitties! Watch for those claws, and are those boys bunny kicking or...!!!

Kitty's Vegas elopement suffers from quite a bit more than the typical cold feet dilemma: vapid vampires, lusty werecats, mysterious magicians, a gun show with itchy-fingered bounty hunters in her hotel, and the worst - a live televised Midnight Hour. It is the later that proves to be the most character building, the rest felt rather superficial. One thing I love about this series is that Kitty started on the bottom, and through her growth as a person, she has ascended the pack hierarchy to become strong enough to challenge and defeat her former abusive pack leader. This novel almost felt like a regression, and I am unsure if this is a bad thing or realistic for her character. For one thing, her elopement is a denial of her responsibilities. Almost nowhere in this novel are the dynamics of the change to Ben and Kitty's leadership explicated. Also, Kitty struggles with several situations where her instinct is to submit, and she has to will herself into a dominant posture. It felt like posturing rather than true confidence, as if her assuming Alpha status was a circumstantial act, rather than a skillful one.

Her familial ties were strongly evident in this novel, as her mother and father follow she and Ben to Vegas to celebrate their wedding. Often missing from most urban fantasy is that element of family, so it is wonderful to have that dialogue open, especially given that her family doesn't truly understand, but still offers support to Kitty.

The action of the novel circulates around Kitty, who, being the radio personality she is, tends toward verbal solutions rather than fisticuffs, and a reassuring continuity emerges where Kitty does not suddenly develop Kung Fu fighting prowess, she in fact is still a bit torn over having to use a gun in the last novel.

While suffering from a glut of storylines and characters vying for the spotlight, and providing a picture of Vegas that seemed just a tad off to me both in its description but also because it distracted from what I imagined the next phase of Kitty's werewolf life would be, this fifth installment of Kitty did establish what will hopefully be a more in depth examination of her pack territory and dynamic in the sixth book....more

From Society to Rogue to Society to really really Rogue to playing everyone's damn field, Joe just can't seem to find a niche and hang tight, lay low,From Society to Rogue to Society to really really Rogue to playing everyone's damn field, Joe just can't seem to find a niche and hang tight, lay low, stay copacetic. It doesn't help that his mannerisms err on the side of painfully sarcastic and violently anticipatory. No wonder he gets his ass kicked to the wilds, no, not Brooklyn again, worse: to stay out of the sights of the Clans that individually each want his head on any damned platter available, Joe goes to the Bronx, a sort of homecoming that he gets a tad nostalgic over (yeah right) since it was where he was born. It's really not all that much better in the Bronx though, especially since on several occasions Joe gets his ass handed to him. At least the Manhattan Clans only wanted his head. So with a bit of "gravity" dragging him back, he skips gayly back into Manhattan into the arms of enemies who want to use him like a tool (Dexter Predo can be really nasty when he wants to be, and I swear I think I saw Joe quiver at one point), former allies who want to fold him into their organizations and have a big lovefest or a crazy party (or both), and a former boss whom Joe has pushed to the brink. So what next? Blow up in the tool user's hands of course, bite the hand that wants to pet you, turn one crazy on another, and push your former buddy boss over that precipice. Simple. Messy. And you get to be the badass to a whole slew of badasses. ...more

Every so often while reading the burgeoning urban fantasy genre, I long for a more literary text. Though I thoroughly enjoy my escapist and predictablEvery so often while reading the burgeoning urban fantasy genre, I long for a more literary text. Though I thoroughly enjoy my escapist and predictable werewolf yarns, the yearning for something with more weight often assails me at the novel's completion. Attesting to Pelevin's reputation as one of Russia's leading contemporary novelists, The Sacred Book of the Werewolf provides that density of subject and verbage. Knowing this is a translation, I am amazed at the translator's adept handling of Pelevin's wry humor and complex ideas voiced through his characters. This novel claims less kinship with urban fantasy than with some personal philosophical engagements.The voice putting pen to story is A Hu-Li, a multi-milennia-old werefox and pursuant of the mysteries of life. She relates her current time in Russia, oftentimes commenting directly on the state of the country, but Pelevin often slips in a more subtle commentary through her interactions. As we are being told her story directly as she writes a memoir-like document, A Hu-Li is prone to comedic engagement with her intended audience, revealing the inner workings of her multi-layered and antediluvian mind. Rather than being burdened with the centuries she has witnessed, her perception is an engaging and almost innocent one. She reveals that werefoxes mostly forget what they know so as to avoid this very detrimental lassitude of long spans of time, remembering past events only with sincere effort.This innocence translates into a comical love affair with a werewolf, the initial subject and eventual object of A Hu-Li's philosophical explanations. For someone who has seen several milennial turns and who makes a living as a sex worker, A Hu-Li's dearth of sexual knowledge and wide-eyed and tail-puffed, yet remarkably logical love are all the funnier, especially their sex scenes which seem to be a snarky commentary on genre urban fantasy and its proliferation of sex and the more outre expressions thereof.If A Hu-Li tends to come off as sounding a bit superior, she at least tries to be humble about her superiority amidst an explanation of Taoist philosophies of nothing and merging with the infinite, wrapped of course in paradox and ouroboric logic. Pelevin manages to capably interweave these moments of philosophical musing without derailing the story, humorously pairing them with A Hu-Li then mundanely checking her email.If the story ends on what should be a predictable resolution, it is more impressive that I did not anticipate it. And it speaks more to the depth of A Hu-Li as a character that she is even more surprised than I was, and she has had several thousand years to reach that understanding. Sometimes the most cunning fox fools the most gullible target: herself....more

I find myself inclined towards favoring the middle works of trilogies - Empire Strikes Back for example - and Clare's The Mortal Instruments follows tI find myself inclined towards favoring the middle works of trilogies - Empire Strikes Back for example - and Clare's The Mortal Instruments follows that vein. Perhaps it is something in the rush of building upon the introduction the first in a series provides, yet not allowing for the final resolution that will come in the third. So when I arrive at the concluding chapter of trilogies, there is always that sense of sorrowful anticipation that the story is almost completed. Having been fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book, I am left wondering if the salivation of waiting two more months until its March release would have heightened the thrill. Delayed gratification? Impossible I suppose. I am American after all.Be that as it may, the thrill radiated from this book. I dare not comment but indirectly for fear of spoiling the surprise and delight of discovering this joyous conclusion to a brilliant series, however I will say that City of Glass made me love Jace more, respect Clary for the young woman we see mature, and dearly hope that Clare has many more tales to relate on the horizon. Her villains are complex, her protagonists troubled but not whiny, her story is detailed and surprising, and she relates all of this with skill and joy....more

The second novel of Clare's series of The Mortal Instruments finds the author establishing her footing and enlivening the characters she has created The second novel of Clare's series of The Mortal Instruments finds the author establishing her footing and enlivening the characters she has created to populate this New York world. Whereas the first novel focused almost exclusively from Clary's point of view with occasional side jaunts that mildly detracted from the pacing, City of Ashes bounces fluidly between characters, offering perspectives and understanding of these other players in the Shadowhunter world, especially her secondary characters who nevertheless play important roles such as Alec. The most fascinating character continues to be Jace. Absolutely arrogant and obnoxious, yet like the charming devil he is, he manages to maneuver his way into my favor. Part of this character's dynamism is the relationship that Clare develops with his father Valentine, the big bad of the story. The force that molded Jace into a smooth-talking and lethal Shadowhunter has moments of Voldemort comparativity, yet remains an even more complex villain than Rowling wrote. Jace's struggle between the lessons of his past and those of his present (not to mention his feelings of love for which he has no context never having been given that by his father) leave the reader wondering just where his loyalties will fall.The Voldemort-like big bad is not the only Harry Potter-esque similarity I noticed, there are in fact several moments when reading this series that I drew that comparison. Clare does not merely reiterate Rowling however, she just makes use of similar techniques yet makes them fit in her world. Driven by gleeful action and gleeful bouts of demon slaying, this series also examines the dynamics of friendship: testing the bonds, exploring the transmutations friendship can take (oftentimes physically as well as emotionally), pushing the boundaries between the love of friends and that of lovers. Familial ties also play a large role in Clare's story, from the blood relation to the bonded family, and the demands and support and drama that each entails....more

I'm not quite sure how many well-written and engaging young adult novels it will take to get me over my snobbery for the genre, but Cassandra Clare'sI'm not quite sure how many well-written and engaging young adult novels it will take to get me over my snobbery for the genre, but Cassandra Clare's first volume in her Mortal Instruments series definitely took the wind out of my gasbag.On many occasions I was reminded of moments in Harry Potter, not in that they were so akin as to be rehashed, but more that stylistically and theatrically there is a similar vein running through the series. They both are engaging stories and the difficulty of being a teenager is presented not in the whinging and morose persona that makes me cringe, but in a very sympathetic and subtle way. I cannot tolerate the woe-is-me tale of the beleagured teen (I experienced those years and was disgusted with myself even then when I slipped into such states), but Clare does not allow her characters to slip down that slippery slope.Though I would recommend this series for a bit more mature reader than would perhaps start on Harry Potter, for the older set who is either jonesing for their next fix after Breaking Dawn or like myself is fairly contemptuous of the lot but not quite willing to believe the whole genre has sunk into decrepitude, Clare's series will appeal to both, and indeed deserves to transcend the bounds of YA as Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy has done....more

I've tended to avoid the YA surge of urban fantasy as revisiting teen angst is something I leave for watching the more comically ameliorative episodesI've tended to avoid the YA surge of urban fantasy as revisiting teen angst is something I leave for watching the more comically ameliorative episodes of Buffy, but every once in a while I will dip back into those dank waters and find a fun novel such as Sniegoski's. I was first drawn to this title through some oddly convoluted Goodreads recommendation and the angel imagery of the cover. Being fairly obsessed with angelic images, I ordered the book, thinking that the story was likely not going to elicit much enthusiasm from me. As one might gather from my rating, I was pleasantly surprised. The story follows Aaron Corbet, and yes, he has his issues like any teenager, but what makes him redeemable to me is that he isn't a massive whiner about it. He is a shy kid, stuck with a bad start being bounced from foster home to foster home, but finding his footing in a good place with a good family, attempting to make the best of himself and his life. When he starts having bizarre dreams and then suddenly develops linguistic capabilities allowing him to understand what his goofy yellow lab is telling him and that the cute Brazilian girl he likes thinks he's cute too(!), events escalate until he is being hounded by heavenly Powers intent on removing his stain from the earth.This stain you ask? Apparently Aaron is a Nephilim, recounted in Genesis 6:1-4 as the offspring of mortal women and angels (I suppose all the gonadically female angels were relegated back up in Heaven?). Not only did they do the nasty with the human women, but they also apparently taught humans bad things like how to beat the crap out of each other in full scale war and gave women make-up (see, angels cannot be utterly straight to be able to pass on such a skill, they must be bisexual or pansexual). So Aaron is supposedly one of these half beings, made all the stranger when an angelic protector enters the scene proclaiming he is "the One." No, not of the Matrix variety, although there is some spectacular aerial combat near the end so...This novel lays the groundwork for several follow-up novels, and ABC Family made a TV movie of it. I just hope a particular scene near the end made it into the movie, so I'm going to head over to Netflix right now to request the DVD......more